The Lullaby (2018)

   

Directed by: Darrell Roodt

Written by: Tarryn-Tanille Prinsloo

Starring:

.... Chloe van Heerden
.... Ruby van Heerden
.... Dr. Timothy Reed
.... Adam Hess

Release Date: Limited Theatrical: March 2, 2018

 

 

Rating:

 

A young single mother Chloe van Heerden (Reine Stewart) returns to her hometown after giving birth to her newborn and tries to come to terms with motherhood but yet she sees deadly hallucinations which drives her fears and insanities to the limit.

 

The story offers a prologue which is done in a grindhouse type of style showing an event centuries ago with what looks like a cult doing a ceremony as well as the person doing this holding a baby as well as a shocking moment as to what happens here but nothing really graphic revealed in which this was supposed to draw you in on what will happen when t he story rolls but this needed a bit more inspiration.
Then it's present day in which we spot Chloe van Heerden going into labour in which there's nice intense shots on all of this which looked well done as well as her being unhappy on the whole situation which drew me in to find out on what's going to happen next.
After she has the child it looks like she dies after giving her son birth but yet this isn't the case at all so I was confused within all of this. The moments surrounding all of this looked a bit phony to watch.
Along in the story I spot both Ruby and Chloe having a discussion on something serious which was a mother and daughter discussion on how to raise her child but yet I had a real hard time knowing on what was going on here. Also it was a bit long and getting a wee bit tiresome.
Then there's a moment which was suppossed to look creepy when Chloe tests the baby's formula a cabinet door slowly opens but no one is there which was supposed to give you the chills and it almost works but not quite yet there's a nice shot on her slowly turning her head and looking freaked by this which was well done. Then a nice shot on the formula spilt with footsteps leading to a hallway in which this was supposed to give you the chills along with a fuzzy tv screen in the living room but this doesn't do the trick at all since we've seen moments like this before.
However there was a creepy moment with well done camera shots slowly going up to a crib and what she spots with her newborn as this looked shocking to watch and done in a good fashion too.
Well done setting with Ruby talking to a shrink Dr. Timothy Reed about the situations and her acting upset and unstable as this was a nice add to the story along with a moment on Chloe at home about to cut her baby's fingernails as I watched carefully wondering if she will make an accident. Also in the moment after an incident a nice shot on what looks like a grim reaper rising up from the bathtub cackling as this seemed a bit cheesy but in a fun way.
Also we spot a discussion with Timothy this time towards Chloe with flashbacks on an intense dysfuntional argument between her and Ruby as things don't look pretty at all with the verbal abusive situations and so fourth. All of this looked powerfully well done.
Some other shocking and well done hallucinations like what Chloe spots in a freezer or what she may think is her mother rocking her child and then raising their finger to let out a shush towards her as this time looked genuinely creepy on what we briefly spot of this character.
Clever shots on Chloe slicing an apple which looked fast paced as well as to what happens to her while doing this since all of this looked perfectly and carefully focused.
However, the story was getting bland and not really to the point but then it gets better as we have a nice setting with Chloe running away in the woods as well as being pitted to a tree against a rapist. This moment was a better twist to watch on what's going on here and mind boggling as well.
Plus another situation when she tries to go to help from a guy she thought that she trusted only trying to pursue to rape her as well as her getting wild by slaying him as this looked intense to watch.
Then perfect shots on her running away bloodied in the woods as well as on the streets in which this was a nice horror fashion.
Then a classic confrontation with Chloe holding a knife towards her mother freaking out and her parent trying to reason with her as I watched carefully wondering if she will actually kill her or not as this scene was highly energised to the extreme and looking very powerful and packed with suspense too.
Bottom line is that this film was a drag for the most part but had some nice touches here and there to entertain us horror fans. However the story was hard to follow as I was wondering as to what the situations were all about. I wondered if there were paranormal events happening or was it Chloe's imagination and she was just psychotic. Never really explained itself that way whatsoever.

The acting seems pretty good in which (Chloe van Heerden) seemed to be natural while going into labor during the beginning of her performance showing great intense and painful energy within all of this. Also does a great job acting like a head case within what she's dealing with. Also shows a believeable attitude with her emotional problems or freaking out by what she may have seen and losing her mind. Plus shows great freaked out expressions and reacting to stuff incredibly well too. Also knew on how to plunge a knife into someone or driving her intensity holding a knife to someone else. I'd have to say that she was the best out of the whole cast.
(Ruby van Heerden) knew her stuff playing a mother in which she drew across as someone who tries to keep it together as well as doing a good job having a serious discussion in many segments of the film. Plus does a nice job acting frusterated or losing it too. Drew a nice intensity when freaking out in a flashback scene offering a great versatality while performing like this.
(Dr. Timothy Reed) had the most effective part in the story in which he played a perfect shrink in the film as he knew on how to act perfectly serious by what he was talking about as well as coming across mysterious in which it made me wonder if he had something to hide by how he portrayed his part. He was for sure a worthy character actor along with having the right looks and good serious expressions too.
(Adam Hess) pulled off his part as someone whom is sympathetic in an okay fashion as he for sure drew his part as someone whom is understanding and a listener too. Shows a nice guy type of attitude pretty decently too. Yet near the end of his performance when he tries to pursue to rape someone he is a bit off with that.

Baby finger is cut off
Finger is sliced off while cutting an apple
Blood splattering stabbings

Alun Richards knew on how to make every scene sound suspenseful mostly with hissing and windy types of sounds which seems to suit the paranormal events that goes on. Plus there's the odd groaning violin playing too for certain spots which stood out in my mind and sounding a bit more original than the typical classical music. Nice female chanting harmony too which had a nice breezy sound to it. Also some nice booming sounds here and there for the surprising segments which always works in a horror flick.